When Protest Becomes Crime

Reviews / Votes

'Protesters often end up in criminal courts. Even so, and despite sporadic efforts, social science has long neglected the criminalization of protest. In this welcome comparative study, Carolijn Terwindt skilfully examines the complex interplay between law and protest, making an important contribution to an overlooked topic' -- Steven Barkan, author of 'Protesters on Trial: Criminal Justice in the Southern Civil Rights and Vietnam Antiwar Movements' 'Carolijn Terwindt reveals how courtroom narratives often attribute criminality to ideologies or associations going so far as to apply 'terrorism' sentencing enhancements to American environmental activists rather than to actions. This timely and meticulous analysis helps inform how the politics of law impact citizen efforts to draw attention to, and rectify, unjust practices by those in power' -- Heidi Boghosian, Executive Director of the A.J. Muste Memorial Institute 'Drawing on three well-chosen and meticulously developed case studies, Carolijn Terwindt's lucid analysis demonstrates how, far from being neutral applications of the law, prosecutorial narratives become sites of contention that can exacerbate long standing socio political conflicts' -- Patricia Richards, Meigs Professor of Sociology and Women's Studies, University of Georgia